Doctors124 all out

Stags119
for 9

John Ogle opened
proceedings with two sumptuous boundaries but then, unaccountably, missed a straight
ball from Gordon Elkins (1- 27).Andrew Paisley and David Williamson coped admirably with a Holford
wicket of variable, and sometimes alarming, bounce until Williamson (13) top
edged a ball from James Coates and was well caught by Rob Hake, running round
to square leg.Doctors’ middle order
decided that the only way to cope with the wicket was to go for their shots
which flawed strategy allowed Coates (2-20) and Hake (2-17) to cash in.Graham Fergusson joined Paisley and both
played attractively until Paisley retired and Ted Mackenzie enticed Fergusson
(17) into a cut to a ball that was too close and which ended up amidst the
wreckage of his stumps.Sam Powell
dispatched MacKenzie (3-20) for a big six over extra cover and then plopped
the next ball tamely into the hands of Coates at long off.Steve Tribe (12) supervised some tail end
resistance until falling to Cameron Diemart (1-5) who got just reward for a
very good over.The return of the
excellent Paisley (32) did not last long as he was bowled by James Dickens
(1-8) going for a big hit off the penultimate ball of the innings.

With short
boundaries and a fast outfield Doctors’ total looked to be below par and the
match looked destined for a quick finish as Rob Hake belted 33 (5 fours and 2
sixes) from the first three overs and retired.His father Roger played the anchor role
while his brother Graham (20) took on the aggressor’s part until he was well
caught by Fergusson at long off from the bowling of Peter Reed (1-32).James Dickens (12) continued the theme with
a four and a six but was fortunate to escape when Williamson executed a
stumping which appeared to be obvious to everyone on the field – except the
umpire.It mattered little as in the
next over Powell tempted him into a pull to midwicket which was very well
caught by John Carpenter, staring into the blinding sun.Powell was now bowling at serious pace and his
next ball to Roger Hake (14) was edged to Williamson.The hat trick ball was the ball of the
match and the ball that effectively won the match as it beat the dangerous
Will Dickens all ends up and bowled him.Stags had had the match in their pocket with wickets in hand and only
28 needed from the last 8 overs and when Coates hoisted another six and
Diemart hooked a beamer for four they were still odds on favourites. But Powell had not finished.His final 8 balls yielded no runs and
accounted for both batsmen to give him outstanding figures of 4 overs 1
maiden 11 runs 5 wickets.The pressure
was now on the batsmen and a mesmerizing spell of wrist spin from Fergusson (1-15)
had MacKenzie taken by Ogle in the gully.An ice cool penultimate over from Charles Macadam conceded only two
runs and took the wicket of Alan Jones as Williamson finally got his
stumping.Ed Johnson (1-10) was
entrusted the final over.When Paisley
took a good catch at midwicket off the first ball it brought Rob Hake back
into the fray but a fine piece of hostile, quick, just short of a length
bowling meant that only three runs came from the final 5 balls and Doctors had
effected an astonishing comeback.